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100% Whole Spelt Sourdough at 100% Hydration

September 14, 2012 - 3:43pm

dabrownman

100% Whole Spelt Sourdough at 100% Hydration

We have wanted to take up Michael Wilson’s ‘Spelt Challenge’ of 100% white spelt at 100% hydration ever since we saw his fine post. In our case we milled the whole grain and sifted it to 78% extraction.

We like whole grain breads and hate to throw the sifted out portion away. Michael suggested that we could put it back in on the last set of slap and folds to try to minimize gluten strand harm. So that is what we did and we also added 40g (dry weight) of spelt sprouted berries while we were at it since we love sprouts as much as whole grains.

Even though this isn’t an equal challenge since our whole grains would be more thirsty and thus the dough easier to work with, it was still a sloppy mess but oddly not that difficult to work with like rye would have been.

The bad part of the process is that our 15 year old Krupp’s coffee grinder that we have used to grind grain gave up the ghost. We usually watch how hot it gets and how much grain we put in it at one time but my apprentice ignored both on the last grind for this bread. Right as we were about to say done – it was.

The bread came out as flat boule as the last 100% hydration bakes seem to end up. These breads really should be baked as a ciabatta or in a loaf tin rather than deflating them when transferring from the basket to the hot DO. But we thought we would give it one more try to get it to spring in the oven.

The bread baked up a nice shade of brown but not the dark color we usually prefer - higher oven temps and less time covered might give us a better crust. It did blister a little though. The crumb was much more open than we thought it would be as was the pervious kamut flat boule and it was soft and very moist. This bread is even more delicious than the kamut was and is its best quality. It is a fine bread for sandwiches or even dirtlocks. We like this bread a lot even though it too took the flat boule route as the kamut did before it.

Method

If you make this bread you want to start the sprouts 2 days before you need them because unlike rye which sprouts in 24 hours these take 48. Just soak them in water for 3 hours, drain them and spread them our between damp paper towels and cover with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out. Finally cover them in a kitchen towel so no light gets to them. Re-dampen the top paper towels at the 24 hour mark and 24 hours later you will have perfect spelt sprouts.

The spelt levain was developed over two, (3) hour builds from our kamut starter and then refrigerated for 24 hours. It was then removed from the fridge and allowed to further develop on the counter for 2 hours.

The 78% extraction flour and the extraction were autolysed separately for 2 hours. The salt, VWG and malts were autolysed with the 78% extraction. We wanted the VWG to make sure we had some gluten in the final mix and was very glad it was there.

The water was a combination of Shiitake mushroom re-hydration water, spelt soaker water and RO water. Since the water equals the flour weights it was split up between the two autolyses based on weight of the flour and the bran.

The dough flour autolyse and the levain were combined in the KA mixing bowl and mixed on KA 2 with the paddle for 4 minutes. The dough hook was then used and the dough was kneaded for 10 more minutes. The dough was then placed in an oiled, plastic covered bowl for 10 minutes.

2 sets of stretch and folds were done 10 minutes apart with each set being 25 stretches. Then 3 sets of French slap and folds were done for 10 minutes duration each and 10 minutes apart with the dough being rested in the plastic covered bowl between sets. At the beginning of the last set of slap and folds, the bran autolyse was incorporate. Half way through the last set, the sprouts were incorporated. The final 5 minutes of slap and folds fully incorporated the bran and sprouts.

We were really surprised that the slap and folds were so easy. A light oiling of the granite countertop was all that was needed to keep it from sticking. After 20 minutes of slap and folds the dough was very extensible and the dough would hold a ball shape for the shortest period of time but you could tell the gluten was starting to come together.

Once the sprouts and bran were worked in, the dough behaved better but still would not hold a ball shape for more than a few seconds. The slap and folds really weren’t difficult or the exhausting chore we thought they would be in the end. It was really kind of fun to do them once you got in the rhythm.

Last night's sunset was something to behold.

A cloth lined basket was heavily floured with rice flour and used to house the nearly un-shapeable dough as a semi, sort of ball. It was immediately housed in a trash can liner and placed into the fridge for a 12 hour retard and proof.

We think that this dough should be proofed in a loaf pan but since we planned on baking it in a hot DO we needed a transfer agent and the cloth lined basket was the needed transfer vehicle. We hoped that the cold would help give the dough some additional structure to make the transfer a success. We won’t try to slash this dough since it is so wet and figure it will spread in the DO.

The Big Oven was fired up to 500 F with the DO inside. The dough transfer went as well as expected but it did stick to the cloth liner somewhat – no worries – and it did spread faster than peanut butter sitting in a DO on a hot fire in the hot AZ sun.

We turned the oven down to 450 F after 10 minutes and baked it for 22 minutes with the lid on. We then turned the oven down to 415 F (convection this time) and baked it for 10 more minutes, turning it 180 degrees after 5, with the lid off before taking the bread out of the DO and testing for temperature.

The middle was 209 F so we turned off the oven and left the bread on the stone to crisp the skin for 10 minutes with the door ajar. The bread was then moved to the cooling rack and then onto. Total baking time was 32 minutes not including the rest on the stone at the end. The formula brings up the rear as usual.

like the taste of 100% whole grain breads no matter which grain or hydration used. They just taste good! These breads are just ugly on the outside. These flat boules are like restaurants - you can't eat the atmosphere or ambiance :-) When the fruits and veg are at their best in the summer you just have to take advantage because too soon the will be gone. Will put up a breafast shot soon. This year's monsoon sunsets sunsets have been spectacular as has the rain that goes with them - we need the rain badly. You just feel happier when the sun sets the clouds on fire!

Thanks for you nice comments and we look forward to the next ITJB and how you three sisters bake up the challenges - it looks like so much fun for you gals.

Hi DA...while not the prettiest of sights on the outside, your crumb looks great....nice and moist and fairly open.

I would suggest if you try this again, before you go for a tin, instead of shaping and putting in the refrigerator, let it bulk retard overnight in a covered bowl. I find this helps the wet doughs come together. The next day let it come to room temperature for about 1.5 to 2 hours and then shape and put in your basket for another 1.5 to 2 hours. I think this could help you keep your shape and maybe give you some more lift.

In any case, it looks like you had fun trying this one and the end result is still a tasty bread, while a little flat.

Nice write up as usual and beautiful sky and food spread.

I'm working on a couple of breads to bring to my Cousin's house for the Jewish New Year on Sunday. Doing another version of my recent Farro bread. I had bought some Farro grains at Whole Foods for a crazy price of $10 for 1 pound bag but I found the same thing just another brand at my local Shoprite for half the price. I'm also working on a Semolina Sourdough using some yogurt, roasted onions and a bunch of different flours.

Hopefully will have some success with both or at least with one to bring on Sunday night.

breads sound like they would be very nice for Rosh Hashanah. I'm not allowed to bake on weekends so we will have to do with one of the two flat boules this year :-)

I don't know Ian. I think of these breads came out of the fridge and sat on the counter for two hours before shaping, they would be little puddles of mercury like dough Even trying set them up in the 38 F fridge for 12 hours an having the cloth liner sucking all the water out it could they were still spreading out faster than light speed even going into the oven straight from the fridge. I think MiniOven is right - anything over 80% hydration needs to be a ciabatta or baked in a tin. So far , that has been my experience too- not that flat boules aren't really cool too :-)

The open, moist crumb and the outstanding taste really make the kamut an spelt flat boules. We like the mushroom juice too.

If someone was going to take up the 100% hydration spelt challenge, I'm not sure I'd have guessed it would be you, dab. Too simple a formula! But sure enough, you managed to spice it up a bit. I like the mushroom broth addition. Thats a good one. Sounds like the workout was worth it. But will you lose points for including VWG :-). I await the referees' decision.

100% hydro 100% whole grain breads always end up as flat boules for some reason. The mushroom re-hydration left overs were a real plus and we will use them again for the entire liquid next time. I thought after the 100% Kamut flat boule we would try some VWG and see if it made a difference - it didn't - at least not that we could tell. Why they call it vital we have no idea since it doesn't do anything noticeable :-) The slap and folds, as apposed to stretch and folds, didn't make any difference either but it was fun to them and we felt better too.

Both the kamut and the spelt breads really taste great and the crumbs were surprisingly decent for whole grain breads. Next time we will put mushrooms in or on this bread when we bake it in a tin or flat.

For a flat loaf this one sure had an open crumb. Not at all what I was expecting to see from the photo of the 'outside'.

I have made many a flat loaf and we call them Frisbees here-a-bouts. People actually like them when they want just a small slice of bread! I was ready to toss one loaf when someone asked for it so now I know where to 'send' my Frisbees :-)

100% hydro whole grain breads baked in a DO make flat boules that have a light, moist an open crumb? Kamut an Spelt do at any rate. I fully expected door stops but they both ended up looking ugly on the outside and beautiful on the inside. Beauty is supposed to be skin deep but I'm guessing so is ugly :-)

and wanna run off with the dough before you bake it. So watch your dough carefully in the next round. They were looking at the pictures and asked me if your sprouts are sprouted, pouted and while I was distracted, ran off with my potato peels. Don't know what that's all about. Said something about stocking up for the winter... It's apple/pear pressing time and that means "CIDER!" ...and the good nuts are starting to fall.

Waiting eagerly for the next round. The crumb looks similar to a spelt cake my sil bakes. Amazing.

I baked brownanies today. Brownies made with smashed ripe bananas for moisture. :)

making vodka and not waiting for the cider to get hard!! I have a close up of the sprouts but didn't use it becsue it came out a wierd color. The new crop of gala apples hit the stores this week, so cider can't be far behind and that means cider in bread, apple butter, apple; pies, galettes an tarts. We will soon be sick of apples except for the hard cider of course :-)

Thee last two 100% hydration with 100% kamut and spelt have both spread into flat boules, no rise (even in DO's) the crust isn' t great but the crumb is open, light and moist. At least my apprentice is consistent with these bakes. They both just taste fantastic too and not like any other breads we have baked. I'm guessing that if we cut back on the liquid, we like the mushroom flavored one, the bread would look nicer on the outside and maybe more open. You ar right though. These 100% hydro doughs need to be baked in the tins they proof in or as focaccia.

I have dreams of this one as an Italian flat bread with caramelized onions and mushrooms covering nearly the entire top with shavings of Parmesan and fresh basil on top as it comes out of the oven sort of like M2 did here but no caramelized onion, Parmesan and basil

water only made up 23% of the water so it was hardly noticeable other than giving the bread a slightly darker color. But next time we use it, we will use nothing but shiitake mushroom water and add some caramelized shiitakes too so that we will be able to taste and see it more clearly. It would really be a weird add color wise for one of my favorites, YW Japanese White Sandwich Bread, but probably better for focaccia :-)

Next time this gets proofed and baked in the DO with no transfer from a basket.

courage was involved but possibly stupidity or even insanity ruled the day :-) After the kamut bake we really knew the score with these kinds of breads but it tasted so good and looked so nice on the inside ........we thought better handling and technique with French slap and folds could win out but NOOOOOOOO!!!!

I do prefer the flat boule, instead of frisbee, terminology for this ugly duckling bread type:-) The Kamut came out woth a more open crumb becsue of the yeast water that was omitte this time around with the spelt.

Buckwheat can be another wayward child as your experiment might show. But, it is fun to do something new and see how it turns out. But if you do the same experiment twice hoping for a different outcome like I did - then sanity questions arise from overfed German baking apprentices who never bark before they bite :-)

Glad you like the photo and you would be correct. We don't eat as many odd new things as we used to before retiring from the food business but we still eat as well as we can. The bread sure is a lot better thanks to fine bakers like you on TFL.

Thanks for commenting as always - haven't seen a new seeded bread from you in a while - the bread business must be good!

I'm going to bake both of these again sometime woth 79% hydration and see what happens aftrer the first one.

recovers fast. My wife broke her foot a couple of years ago and it was not an easy thing to recover from. She did like the little scooter we got her to push herself around on though :-) Maybe hemp sees would help......

Your bread( the crumb shot) was outstanding! You are way..................out of my league now . Even though I doubt that I will be making this bread(too scared), I am greatly admired that you go out of your comfort zone and made this wonderful bread! The food pictures are outstanding as always.

I am curious, in your first paragraph, you sifted you flour to 78% hydration? How could that be when there is no liquid involved? I thought that only liquid item can be measured with the hydration. Don't understand how the "dry spelt flour can be measure in hydration"?

So glad you like the bread. It is very tasty an the crumb is just the best part. Amazing for how flat it is. When we sifted the flour we sifted it to 78% extraction not hydration. That means we sifted out 22% of the brand an bigger particles to end up with 78% of the weight we started with. I'm nit even sure that is what extraction means but that is what I meant by it :-) We ended up putting the sifted part back in back in at the end of the slap and folds to end up with the 100% whole grain we started with before sifting,

I'm sure you could make this bread too. There is a great video out there where a lady, sadly I can't remember her name, shows how to do French Slap an Folds - that is how I learned how to do it. It is just some mixing stretch and folds, slap and folds, retarding and plopping it into a hot DO . No shaping required since the dough is a wet blob and no steaming since the DO takes care of that. It really is an easy bread to make, not as easy as 'no knead' but pretty easy.

The previous bake of 100% hydro 100% kamut was even easier since no sifting or slap and folds required for it. The crumb was even more open too.

Of course these 100% hydration breads you've made recently are not exactly as mine are and even though the differences may seem small they are actually huge, technically.

I hardly ever use a banneton mould or anything similar where the dough then gets turned out. The gluten network is very sensitive and breads made this way can only ever be under-proved to avoid collapse. I made my one as a freestanding loaf.

You could always buy some white spelt that way you don't have to waste anything!

You are correct. These whole grain attempts on my part are certainly eaiser to work with once mixed together than white spelt 78% extraction at 100% hydration. I won't be putting these breads into a banneton going forward. We will either have them rise in a cold DO or they will be free form ciabatta. If I could have managed the white spelt to hold a shape of any kind we would have tried to figure out a way to bake it off but after a very long time of mixing, slapping, stretching and folding 2 ways it just wasn't going to be anything than a ciabatta - and a thin one at that ;-) So we thought we would try too cool it off, firm it up thermally and see if would hold its shape out of the benneton long enough after un-moding to get it in the oven. Shouldn't have tried to slash it either - that was a big mistake - there is no reason to slash this wet dough :- ) I am still surprised at how open the crumb turned out.

Next time we will go far a nice ciabatta. It does taste great no matter how flat and it is a fun experiment. We havent't closed the door on this yet.

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